Episodes Nearest to August 2, 1817: 1 through 25 of 25

  1. The Zebulon M. Pike arrives in St. Louis
    date August 2, 1817map ST LOUIS, Missouritags Arts/Leisure, Economy, Migration/Transportation

    The Zebulon M. Pike arrived in St. Louis, Missouri on August 2nd, 1817. It was the first steamboat to take the Mississippi River as far North as the Ohio River. For the people of St. Louis, and those aboard the steamboat, this was the sign of a new era in which steamboats made distant cities easily accessible, as more and more rivers became navigable. On Christmas morning 1817, the steamboat Charleston...

  2. D.B. Mitchill's Attempts to Compromise with the Creeks and the Seminoles
    date August 4, 1817map Florida, Floridatags Government, Native-Americans, Race-Relations, War

    D.B. Mitchill was the executive chair of Georgia in 1817, but in early March of that year, he resigned his post. In July of that year, he met with the leaders of the Creek Nation at Fort Hawkins. His goal of this meeting was to explain to the Indians their role in creating and maintaining a mutual peace between the Indians and the United States. He warned the Creeks that other Americans had approached...

  3. Missionaries in Africa: Teaching the Hottentots to Read the Bible
    date July 23, 1817map DINWIDDIE, Virginiatags African-Americans, Church/Religious-Activity, Education

    The American Star of Petersburg Virginia recognized George Schmidt, a Dutch missionary, for his outstanding missions in South Africa on July 23, 1817. He spread the Gospel to the South Africans as well as literacy. What was interesting about this remark in the newspaper was the interest in African education, literacy, and spirituality. Schmidt was praised for his efforts in sharing with Africans,...

  4. Dueling
    date July 23, 1817map DINWIDDIE, Virginiatags African-Americans, Crime/Violence

    One fatal wound elicited another as two blacks killed each other in a dispute. No one knew why the two black men were feuding; however, it was evident that they decided to settle their argument with the weapons on hand. Scythes were used to fight. Both inflicted a deadly gash on the other leaving them both dead. A Petersburg newspaper reported the homicides in 1817. It was not noted if these blacks...

  5. Folk and Quack Medicine
    date August 20, 1817map KANAWHA, Virginiatags Health/Death, Economy

    Doctor Robertson had done it, and he had done it for western Virginia's Charlestown in 1817. He had discovered the most valuable medicine ever offered to the public (Farmer's Repository), a veritable cure all. Luckily, he was nice enough to share. The local Apothecary's Shop in Charlestown advertised that it would sell the phenomenal set of Doctor Robertson's Family Medicines. One...

  6. The New and Elegant Steamboat
    date August 28, 1817 to August 29, 1817map ANNE ARUNDEL, Marylandtags Economy, Migration/Transportation

    The Maryland, a steamboat in the Chesapeake Bay, commenced her regular route on April 12, 1820 between Easton, Annapolis, and Baltimore. The Maryland accommodated passengers, horses and carriages. The advertisement posted in The Maryland Gazette on April 6, 1820 targeted potential customers by stating that the Maryland is not surpassed in point of elegance or speed by...

  7. The Second Visit to Fowl Town
    date 1817map Florida, Floridatags Native-Americans, War

    Fowl Town, an Indian village in Spanish-controlled Florida, was the site of one of the major events in the First Seminole War. It was visited three times by United States troops, the first time marking the first official engagement of the war. These skirmishes resulted in the deaths of three Seminoles, the capture of one, and the abandonment of the town.

    Lieutenant Colonel Arbuckle led the...

  8. Captain Call's Good Call in Pensacola
    date 1817map Florida, Floridatags Economy, Law, Native-Americans

    Captain Richard R. Call was an optimist; he was a man firm in his faith in American superiority. He also would either have made a very good lawyer or had very gullible friends. Captain Call convinced seven of his friends that it would be a good idea to buy land in the territory of a foreign country and in a region that appeared to be overrun by savage and American-hating Native Americans. So, in...

  9. Experiences of a soldier in the first Seminole War
    date 1817map Florida, Floridatags Seminole War, War

    William Frazer, an ordinary soldier in the Seminole war was ordered to take action against the creeks in southern Florida; he started his marched from Fort Mitchell in 1817 with his 200 fellow soldiers when he was called to order. The soldiers had expected the creek warriors' reactions were to be slightly territorial, as they hoped for the opposite. For many of the men it was their first time...

  10. Medicine Chests and Self-Sufficiency in Medical Care
    date June 27, 1817 to June 28, 1817map ANNE ARUNDEL, Marylandtags Health/Death, Slavery

    R. Jeffery and A. Alt advertised the sale of aromatic snuff in the American Beacon and Commercial Daily on June, 27 1817 in Norfolk, Virginia. Jonathon P. Whitwell prepared and bottled the aromatic snuff in Boston. Whitwell shipped the snuff to Norfolk and various other locations across the East coast. Jeffery and Alt sold the aromatic snuff to Virginians who desired to fill their medicine...

  11. General Gregor McGregor invades Florida
    date June 29, 1817 to December 23, 1817map BALDWIN, Alabamatags War

    An Englishman named Gregor McGregor, a veteran of the Napoleonic wars, wanted to take over East Florida in the name of Venezuela, New Granada, Mexico and Rio de la Plata. He had been unable to establish a government among the Venezuelans as he had wished, and had lost all hope of receiving supplies for his army there, so in February 1817, he moved on to Mexico. On the Island of St. Thomas, he...

  12. Alcohol and its Influence on the South
    date September 30, 1817 to October 7, 1817map BUCKINGHAM, Virginiatags Agriculture, Health/Death, Law

    Between the dates of September 30, 1817 and October 7, 1817, Archibald Austin of Buckingham County, Virginia was legally able to distill spirits according to the license issued by the Commissioner of the Revenue. This license enabled Mr. Austin to distill from domestic materials for one week only. The rules set forth by this license were issued by the United States, not the state of Virginia. Mr....

  13. Governor McMinn of Tennessee explains his Treaty with the Cherokee Indians to the state legislature
    date October 12, 1817map INDIAN LANDS, Tennesseetags Race-Relations

    In explaining the treaty to the legislature, McMinn focused also on the relationship between Tennessee and North Carolina, as well as both of their relationships (and that of the United States) with the Cherokees. The Cherokees had occupied what McMinn estimated to be five to seven million acres of land between the Tennessee and Mississippi Rivers. He encouraged the Tennessee legislature to enact...

  14. The Second Visit to Fowl Town
    date November, 1817map Florida, Floridatags Native-Americans, War

    Fowl Town, an Indian village in Spanish- controlled Florida, was the site of one of the major events in the First Seminole War. It was visited three times by United States troops, the first time marking the first official engagement of the war. These skirmishes resulted in the deaths of three Seminoles, the capture of one, and the abandonment of the town.

    Lieutenant Colonel Arbuckle led the...

  15. Archibald D. Murphey submits proposal for universal education
    date April, 1817map WAKE, North Carolinatags Economy, Education

    In 1817, North Carolina was considered to be behind the times, sleepy, and backward. Archibald D. Murphey, a member of the North Carolina state Legislature, suggested several proposals to the state Senate as ways to improve this. The proposal of which he was most proud was for the universal education of white male children in the state. He called for the creation of primary schools, academies,...

  16. Traveling Epidemics Affected People in all areas of the Country
    date August 13, 1817 to March 3, 1818map WILKINSON, Mississippitags Health/Death, Economy, Migration/Transportation

    As a public warning, lists of certain items that had serious potential of making one sick were often created and published in newspapers to inform the community. A Mississippi paper proclaimed that anybody who sold offer[ed] or expos[ed] any tainted, putrid or unwholesome fish or flesh, or the flesh of any animal dieing otherwise than by slaughter; or slaughtered when diseased for the purpose of...

  17. Drought drives up grain prices
    date December 2, 1817map BALDWIN, Georgiatags Agriculture, Economy

    Drought and famine struck most of the Western world in 1816, and continued throughout 1817. In 1817, grain prices were 154% of the price in 1815 in the United States. In the month of January, the price of grain was nearly twice the original 1815 price. This was partially due to a low grain harvest in America, but also reflected the large amount of grain exported to Europe, where the famine was...

  18. Counterfeit Bank Notes
    date March 25, 1817 to March 26, 1817map TALBOT, Marylandtags Crime/Violence, Economy, Government

    The Republican Star and General Advertiser of Easton, Maryland printed an article titled Citizens, Beware of Counterfeiters on March 25, 1817. The article informed the people of Easton that there is a gang of villains now in our borough, who are endeavoring to further a scheme of the most diabolical swindling, by putting into circulation Counterfeit Notes of 50 and 20 on the Union Bank...

  19. Mississippi's First Election for State Governor
    date December 10, 1817map ADAMS, Mississippitags Slavery

    After getting their constitution approved in August, Mississippi held its first election for governor and Representatives to Congress. Rumors abounded in other states that some of the polling places were occupied by soldiers with bayonets trying to control the voters. The Washington Republican & Natchez Intelligencer of Mississippi fiercely denied these allegations. To admit such lawlessness...

  20. A Strange Marriage in Kentucky
    date March 25, 1817map MONTGOMERY, Kentuckytags Women

    It was a marriage of convenience. The problem was that it was not very convenient. During romantic times, the 4'1 Jesse Johnson must have had trouble even kissing his lovely new bride Nancy who stood a modest 6'2. When there were difficulties in the relationship for the Montgomery County, Kentucky pair, Jesse must have hesitated to throw his weight around as he could only muster half of...

  21. James Monroe Inaugurated as President
    date March 4, 1817map Washington City, District of Columbiatags Economy, Slavery

    After his victory over opponent Rufus King in the election of 1816, James Monroe was inaugurated President of the United States on March 4th, 1817. His first speech as president expounded the glories of the great nation he was now the executive of, but also focused on how he planned to effectively protect it, and from what threats. He planned to further fortify the coasts, borders, and frontiers...

  22. The Political Intrigues of the Caddo Confederacy
    date February 10, 1817map NATCHITOCHES, Louisianatags Crime/Violence, Government, Politics, Native-Americans, Race-Relations

    A distressing letter appeared in a New York Paper, The Courier, on February 10, 1817. In it, a gentleman from Natchitoches, Louisiana reported that the Chief of the Caddo Indian Confederacy was plotting a conspiracy with the Spanish officials in Texas. Despite having traveled into the province on mercantile business, the Chief returned spouting adoration for King Ferdinand VII and boasting...

  23. Slave Escapes from South Carolina Plantation
    date January 12, 1818 to February 12, 1818map CHARLESTON, South Carolinatags African-Americans, Slavery

    On January 22, the South Carolina Southern Patriot first reported the escape of a slave girl by the name of “Mary or Mary Ann' from Joseph Maybank on the 12th of the same month. The advertisement described her as standing 5'8' tall with a yellow complexion and a split front tooth. There was an offered award of 20 for her capture and return.<br />It was not uncommon for four...

  24. Kentucky Legislature attempts to block Bank of United States from opening branches in Kentucky
    date January 15, 1817map JEFFERSON, Kentuckytags Economy, Urban-Life/Boosterism

    The Kentucky Legislature moved to prevent a branch of the Second Bank of the United States from entering Kentucky. The bill, “an act to prevent the circulation of private notes in this commonwealth' was passed on January 13th. It was unsuccessful in its attempt, and branches opened soon afterwards in Louisville and Lexington. These banks were not popular among the locals, who tended...

  25. Report On colonizing the free people of colour of the United States submitted to Congress
    date January 14, 1817map Washington City, District of Columbiatags Church/Religious-Activity, Race-Relations, Slavery

    The resolution by Congress was in response to a January 14th publication of the American Society for Colonizing the free people of colour of the United States. Their letter to Congress was very condescending to the blacks who they were trying to help. They noted that despite the fact that in Africa they had had access to large tracts of land, fertile soil, and other rich natural resources, they...